


Prodigal Sons

by Subsequent



Category: Lucifer (TV), The Sandman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 02:11:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14885651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subsequent/pseuds/Subsequent
Summary: There’s always two sides to every coin.And the Devil didn’t set the precedent when it came to abdicating the throne.





	Prodigal Sons

 

The elevator doors didn’t open, but that didn’t stop the man who stepped into the penthouse. 

He was simply _there_ , suddenly walking into the room as if his earlier lack of visibility was simply a visual error, a glitch, something that you shouldn’t pay much attention to. 

He was hard not to pay attention to. He was the kind of figure who took up the space in any room he entered, tall, broad-shouldered, red hair pulled back in a messy top knot. Plaid shirt and sensible jeans. Totally normal, by appearances alone. 

Though there are parables, about judging by appearance. 

Most of them true.

“Morningstar,” he boomed, grinning. “My apologies for being so late to celebrate the occasion. Or should I say commiserate?”

Lucifer had been leaning against the balcony, jacket off, sleeves up, cigarette in hand, idly looking up at the night sky. He didn’t do anything so gouache as spin around at the sudden voice, but he did stiffen slightly, turning to face the newcomer. 

If you knew him very, very well you may have even seen a hint of wariness in his eyes.

“Destruction,” he said, oddly stilted, nodding his head in brief but respectful recognition, “to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“Aw now, no need to be that formal,” Destruction said cheerfully. He held up a large hand to show a bottle of something that may or may not have been champagne. “I’m only here for a brief visit, but I come bearing gifts. May I?” 

He gestured at the bar, and then at the sofa. 

“Allow me,” said Lucifer, not moving from his position but motioning to the side table where there were suddenly two empty glasses, waiting. “I would offer you a drink, but under the circumstances, that appears to be a little redundant”. A little more on edge, “I must say, I didn’t expect to have the pleasure of your company tonight. Or ever, in fact. Last I heard, you were - otherwise occupied.”

Destruction had taken the opportunity to grab the glasses and settle comfortably on the couch, popping the cork open with his thumb and pouring a generous measure of the contents for both of them. 

Whatever was in the bottle, it glinted strangely in the half light of the penthouse. 

“You heard correctly. And I remain otherwise occupied even now” he said, still cheerful, apparently ignoring the undercurrent to Lucifer’s words. “That’s why I’m here, actually. I rather thought that we - have a certain shared experience, and I’m here to commemorate your choice.”

“Are you now.”

It wasn’t a question.

“Lucifer,” Destruction turned, serious, facing him properly. “I am not here in any other capacity than as an individual who wishes to share a drink with someone I feel is in a similar situation to my own. No politics, and nothing - else. You have my word.”

The readied tension in Lucifer’s shoulders seemed to relax minutely. The change was hard to pinpoint, but he was no longer a statue, shadows gathering at the corners of his eyes - instead he was just, Lucifer. 

Nothing more, nothing less.

“Very well,” he said, taking both a seat opposite Destruction and the proffered glass held out to him. 

Destruction grinned, broad and wide and genuine. 

“Cheers,” he said, and took a generous swig of his drink.

Lucifer followed him, though he coughed as the liquid hit his throat, and he looked down at the glass with wide eyes.

“Is this -” he began to ask, trailing off. Destruction gave him a sly look.

“I’ve been around a long time,” he said. “I may no longer have access to my realm, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have access to certain - things, I stored for safekeeping.”

Lucifer gave him another respectful nod.

“I’m honoured that you think of my company so highly,” he said, and then took a second sip, much slower this time, savouring it. 

“Yeah, well,” said Destruction, leaning back easily, glass dangling from his fingers. “As I said, this is partially for celebration, and partially commiseration. Nothing else would do. I have heard - certain things, about the response your family had to your decision. I can sympathise.”

Lucifer had started to snort and then stopped mid-way, shooting him an amused glance instead.

“Do you know,” he said. “I actually think that you can. In fact, you may be the _only_ one who can. How about that.”

Destruction followed with the snort that Lucifer had abandoned. “I do have to say that my siblings were less - persistent, than yours. In some respects. Definitely less hands on than what I gathered happened here.”

“Mmm, well. Your family certainly had their own way of making their displeasure felt, I’m sure.”

“They did.”

“Do they know you’re here?” Lucifer asked, suddenly curious, leaning forward. “I mean, I certainly have no warding around the area, I’m not particularly bothered by most - people, who visit. But I imagine that you would garner a certain amount of unwanted attention should your presence be noticed.”

Destruction winked. “I have my own methods of avoiding detection. And as I said, I’m not here in any official capacity. I’m simply an individual sharing a drink, is all.”

“Right,” said Lucifer. “Well. I can toast to that.”

They did. 

There was silence for another second or two, as the two regarded each other. 

“I have to -”

“So why did -”

They both spoke over the other, before Lucifer paused and said, “My apologies. Please do go on.”

“So what - what caused the change, is all I’m asking,” said Destruction, before holding up a hand, palm outwards. “If you don’t want to discuss it, well, I’m happy to finish this drink in silence. But allow me to place this out there, at least. After all, it’s been millenia.”

Lucifer didn’t answer for a second, swirling the contents of the glass around, staring at them.

“You know - in some respects - you know what it feels like,” he began. 

Destruction raised an eyebrow. “That I do,” he said. “Although in my case, I believe it was slightly more warranted.”

“Mmmm,” continued Lucifer. “To be blamed for the evil and the chaos of the world, to reign over a realm where that was all that was on offer - when you were simply -”

“The figurehead,” said Destruction, much quieter this time. “Someone who had the mantle of what it represented, but who was not, necessarily, responsible.”

“Yes,” said Lucifer. “Exactly.” 

He finished, and then refilled his glass. The liquid took longer than it should have to fill the cup halfway, and it was still refracting the light at strange angles. They both watched it as it settled. 

“And I decided - no more,” he said. “That’s about the long and the short of it.”

Destruction gave him a look that was hard to interpret. Lucifer looked mildly back at him before picking up his earlier question. 

“I have to ask, though, why now of all times? I left Hell years ago. This isn't a new state of affairs.”

“What are mere years to people like us?” 

Lucifer lifted up a hand, loose and easy, as if waving that away. “Point. However, the question remains.”

Destruction blew out a sigh, jiggled his foot a little. “I've been travelling. Elsewhere. Looking for routes - off the beaten path, so to speak. It took me a while to get here.” 

Lucifer raised an eyebrow. 

“And so you returned from your sojourn to - what - share a drink with me? Well, consider me doubly honoured with your company, in that case.”

A laugh from Destruction. “Morningstar - although the pleasure is all mine - I didn’t return to Earth just for you. I've been distracted from my travels previously and I no doubt will again.”

“Distracted with what?”

“Humanity.” 

“Ah.”

“I'm sure you understand,” Another sly look, though a kind one. 

Lucifer’s other eyebrow joined the one that was already raised, and he remained silent. The moment dragged out. 

Destruction rumbled a laugh and then finished the rest of his glass in one go, standing. 

“I understand this is a short visit,” he said, grinning again. “As I said, I could only stay briefly, only to share a drink long overdue. However, should you like to talk in future, you have only but to seek my company. You know how.”

He reached down, clapped Lucifer’s shoulder. 

“People like us need our friends where we can find them,” he said. “And far be it from me to claim over-familiarity where there is none, but - I hope that you’ll take me up on my offer. I can see we’d have a lot to talk about, going forward.”

He tipped an imaginary hat towards Lucifer. His grin flared and then, in the space between moments, he was gone. 

Lucifer remained on the sofa, not reacting at all to the sudden disappearance, quiet and still for a long moment before he sighed, getting up and moving back out to his previous position against the balcony. 

He held his glass up to the light of the stars and the light of humanity, orange glow dull on the underside of the clouds, staring at the strange patterns that the liquid swirled into as if they held the secrets of the universe.

Maybe they did.

If Destruction was to hang around, at least he had good taste in booze. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Not part of the Aftershocks 'verse.
> 
> I was flicking back through the Sandman when I realised that these two have more in common than I'd originally remembered...
> 
> Ever so slight AU for the Sandman (Dream was not pulled into this whole mess, for one thing).


End file.
